1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to covering devices and specifically to a swimming pool cover that retains a floating member in a central portion of the pool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are numerous swimming pool covers known in the art which provide for the installation of a pillow which is positioned in the center of the pool.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,366,977 issued to Carl A. Koehler on Feb. 6, 1968 discloses a swimming pool cover for use while the pool is full. A floatable member is secured to the underside of a liquid impervious sheet material which itself is stretched over the pool and anchored at its periphery. The floatable member rests on the surface of the water and is of sufficient size to raise the central part of the cover to form an arch such that rain water, leaves, etc., do not accumulate on it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,254 issued to Claude J. Terreri on Aug. 11, 1987 discloses a swimming pool cover support comprising a balloon for placement in its uninflated condition on the surface of the water of a swimming pool, an air hose having one end attached to the balloon and provided at its other end with a valve. The hose is of sufficient length that when the balloon is secured in a predetermined position, the valve can be located outside the pool, whereby the balloon can be inflated or later deflated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,925 issued to Cliff R. Perry on Jul. 18, 1989 shows a cover for a pool, hot tub or the like wherein the pool structure has an upper perimeter portion defining a pool area where water is contained. The cover has a first upper flexible sheet member having a first central portion and a first perimeter portion and a second lower perimeter sheet member having a second central portion and a second perimeter portion. The first central portion of the first upper sheet member is separated from the second central portion of the second lower sheet by a support member. The support member has a sufficiently large vertical dimension to support the central portion of the first upper sheet member such that the first upper sheet member extends radially outwardly from the first central portion to the first perimeter portion at a moderate downward slope so that water and debris that fall on the cover move outwardly and downwardly of the first central portion of the first upper sheet member. The first perimeter portion of the first upper sheet member is attached substantially entirely around the second perimeter portion of the second lower sheet member and the first upper sheet member is spaced apart from the second lower sheet member by the support member thereby creating an insulating dead air space so as to provide heat insulation for water in the pool.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,704 issued to Charles Genzel on Sep. 8, 1992 shows a pool cover utilizing multiple, laterally displaced air compartments which are fixed in location with respect to each other, and are integral portions of the cover. The air compartments may be interleaved by having laterally overlapping portions in order to minimize sagging which may result if any air compartment were to have an air leak. The cover can include a removable exterior portion which is exposed, and an interior portion containing the air pockets which are in contact with the pool surface. This allows for easy removal of the top portion of the cover for cleaning and for examining individual air compartments.
As will be seen, the simplicity and effectiveness of my invention is not rivaled in the prior art. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.